We had previously published the news that the Presidency of the Council of Ministers had potentially rejected the draft law named "The Personal Status Law", which set a dangerous precedent in terms of violating the constitution and international agreements and conventions signed by Syria, as well as serving as an explicit formula for the sectarian and religious partitioning of Syria, by way of the most immoral and inhuman ideas and opinions.
It came to light afterwards that this news was completely incorrect, and that the Presidency of the Council of Ministers had not only adopted this immoral draft law but had introduced it for the consideration of all ministries and official Syrian departments, indicating that it wanted a response with comments ("if any are found"!) in less than one month's time. This is clear evidence that the Presidency of the Council of Ministers and the Committee which drafted this immoral law know full well the crime they are perpetrating against every man woman and child in Syria by legitimizing these ideas through law, and furthermore that they want to "accomplish" their work as fast as possible, before the people can figure out what is really being cooked up for them and what black future awaits them with the passage of this law. This is especially so for women, who are rendered "pleasure servants" for men under the immoral draft law, and yet it also denigrates the dignity of men by changing them into "pleasure merchants" and petty dictators over their wives and children.
We reiterate our complete rejection of this draft law in its entirety (as we will readily expose any regression or denigration that is planned for us in secret!), and we assert that the sole affiliation of the men and women of Syria is to nation, and that any discrimination between them on the basis of sect or religion, or for that matter gender, is considered a blatant violation of their constitutionally-protected rights and ought not be recognized under any circumstance. This is not only because it violates the constitution but also because it is a clear violation of the international agreements which Syria has signed and which prohibit it from passing any countermanding laws; rather Syria is obligated to amend existing laws to coincide with its commitments under these agreements and conventions.
The fact is that this draft law raises an obvious though shocking question: how can you say that your religions are religions of "love and charity and tolerance and dignity", and then say that these same religions demand the legalizing of all kinds of violence and discrimination and rending of human life? These two ideas are incompatible. Either the first is true, meaning the rejection of any discrimination no matter what its basis, or these faiths are "religions of violence and discrimination" for which this kind of draft law becomes "justified" and compatible with your religious convictions.
And we must point out that many men of faith disagree completely with these immoral and destructive views, and these men are the best evidence of the essence of religions which are at heart in the service of man and his development and elevation, and not for his enslavement or degradation or partition or destruction.
By: Syrian Women Observatory, 30/5/2009, (The draft Law: denigrating women and children and partitioning Syria—brought to you deliberately by the Presidency of the Council of Ministers! )
Translated by Tyler Golson
source in Arabic..